1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to liquid spraying devices attachable to lounge chairs and chairs, the devices designed for cooling or spraying a protectant during sunbathing. The present invention is particularly directed towards equipment sufficiently flexible to be foldable when attached to a folding lounge chair or a folding chair and maintain operational efficiency when unfolded for use. The invention incorporates a self-contained plumbing and pressure system designed to spray a mist of liquid onto a sunbather. The mist is used as a cooling agent or for distributing tanning and sun screen solutions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Past art patents were examined from a search conducted in the following classes and subclasses:
128/65, 377, 372, 366; 297/217, 180; 239/289; and 5/284, 421.
The following past-art patents are believed to be the most pertinent to the invention:
A patent issued to Goldmerstein on Jan. 3, 1967, U.S. Pat. No. 3,295,886 shows a chair with an electric fan and liquid soaked wicks to aid in cooling the user.
A patent issued to Raymann, U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,775, on Sept. 5, 1972 discloses an air mattress having a conduit for selectively spraying water.
The Kitover patent issued on Dec. 7, 1971, U.S. Pat. No. 3,625,434 shows a lounge chair being fed pressurized water from a hose and using a tubular frame with water nozzles to spray a mist of water.
On May 1, 1979, Carpenter received a patent numbered U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,618, which teaches a water-impervious flexible base sheet with a pillow.
A patent issued to Culligan on Dec. 21, 1976, U.S. Pat. No. 3,997,927, discloses a mat of compressible foam with a perforated water conduit at one end.
The patent issued to Breaux on Mar. 10, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,143, shows a flexible sheet with a flexible water conduit.
To the best of my knowledge, the above patents are the most pertinent to my invention. In view of the past art patents and what is available on the market, it is clear there have been attempts to provide portable sunbathing apparatuses having cooling means for sunbathers in the past. However, it is known that many people sunbathe at beaches, parks and other locations where water supply hoses and electric extension cords are not available for use by the public. Several of the above patented devices rely on such hoses and cords to assist in cooling the sunbather. Although other devices shown were somewhat less reliant on such hookups, the sunbather would still be required to find a sometimes large supply of fresh water and haul it in containers or other means to fill his device. Fresh water is not always readily obtainable on ocean beaches, consequently a sunbather may have to choose between soaking in salt water, hauling heavy containers of water, or not using the cooling feature of his device at all.